Steering play?

[qu1cks1lver56]

After driving my cousin's 2015 Escalade all weekend it has brought to attention how much play my Xterra has in the steering, which seems to have increased with the recent addition of 31x10.50's with 3.75" BS wheels. I've already planned on a steering stabilizer (drove a friend's jeep with one and I love the dampening on bumpy trails) but I'd like to straighten out the sloppiness first. My X is a stock 2000 with the exception of a PML and tires/wheels, not sure if anything in the front end has been replaced in all 218,000 miles, so I'm sure that has something to do with it. If anyone could point me in the right direction that'd be great.

 

[NismoFire]

Odds are, your tie rod ends (TREs) are worn. Did you have an alignment done after you did the PML? Most shops will tell you if you need TREs or ball joints when they look at it.

 

[lbishop]

1st gens have a tinker toy front end. Bigger tires and heavier wheels will toast your steering components. You can go one of 2 ways with your steering

1. Steering kit from calming, total chaos, 4x4parts. Etc... I think p&p has a kit in the works also

2. Piece a kit together
* idler arm brace (calming, total chaos, or 4x4 parts)
* hd tie rod adjusters (4x4 parts) w/ new tie rod ends
* p&p has some pretty sweet grim joint tie rod ends in the works also, don't think their available t order yet though
* bandit 4x4 idler arm bushings
* grassroots 4x4 steering centerlink

 

[Silver dude]

It will never be as tight as a truck with a rack and pinion steering system. However, with time mileage and use the system does wear and get sloppy. I'd check your steering for spec and go from there. Definitely inspect the tierod ends and center link if you suspect a loose action in the steering.

 

[qu1cks1lver56]

Haven't had an alignment done yet, gonna try to get one this weekend if my radiator comes in time. Working on getting an IAB and I guess I'll add TRAs and TREs to the list along with the rest of those. I figured I'd never get it tight like a new truck but would love to get it tightened up some.


Sent from the future

 

[Intender]

Well other than the play I have from a worn steering gear box mine is pretty tight. I would say in the couple of months between when I replaced everything and put in the grassroots centerlink, and the steering box started to go, it was almost too tight.

 

[TheFauxFox]

Haven't had an alignment done yet, gonna try to get one this weekend if my radiator comes in time. Working on getting an IAB and I guess I'll add TRAs and TREs to the list along with the rest of those. I figured I'd never get it tight like a new truck but would love to get it tightened up some.


Sent from the future

Some places won't align your wheels with worn out steering components. Its happened to me on my gen 1 and it happened to my dad in his excursion.

 

[Thanks48]

Odds are it's the steering gear box I have the exact same problem and you can visually check the tierods and ball joints if you know what your looking for also if your leaking power steering fluid odds are you have corrosion in gear box from off roading which will allow play in the steering wheel Just start with the visual check and if you see the gear box leaking it's done might as well replace that first junkyards seem to have them for under a hundred in my area


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[TJTJ]

In case its not play from wear, there's an adjustment screw on the steering box to tighten it up...but, a TEENY amount of turn makes a LARGE difference.